A hound called Sparkle has made history as the first working foxhound to compete at Crufts – and was named best of breed.
The Percy Hunt’s old English foxhound topped the foxhound class yesterday (6 March), in which no other entrant was a working hound, with Percy huntsman Robert McCarthy.
“Sparkle is an adorable hound,” Robert said. “She works hard all season and is always full of beans but also totally obedient.
“She loves everyone and she is friends with all the horses and other hounds too. I knew she could be relied on to perform well, but it is a very different environment for her with all the people, the noise and the lights. I am absolutely delighted to win best of breed.”
Picture by @adriandangar
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
The British Hound Sports Association’s (BHSA) Adrian Dangar told H&H he encouraged Robert to enter Sparkle, to help showcase the foxhound to the wider public.
“The judge said afterwards she was the best example of a foxhound he’d seen in the show ring for a long time,” he said, adding that Robert “deserves a medal for his dedication”, having registered Sparkle with the Kennel Club, won his Crufts qualifier, and then left home at about 3.30am on Thursday morning and got back at after midnight.
A BHSA spokesperson added: “The pedigrees of all foxhounds belonging to BHSA-registered hunts are recorded in the Foxhound Kennel Studbook and can be traced back to the mid-18th century.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“The Percy Hunt is a working pack following scent trails across the Northumbrian countryside twice a week from September to March. The hunt is an accredited member of the BHSA, which champions hound welfare and is the governing body for trail hunting.
“The British Hound Sports Association has promoted greater transparency and inclusivity for all trail hunts, and competing at Crufts is an integral part of this process.”
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
